Alabama Power’s Safe-T-Zone educates Pell City first responders on dangers of electricity
First responders gathered in the parking lot of the Pell City Municipal Complex on Wednesday, Aug. 6, for Safe-T-Zone, an Alabama Power presentation that focuses on the potential dangers of overhead and underground power lines.
About 40 Pell City first responders looked on at Alabama Power’s custom-built trailer. The trailer uses both primary and secondary voltage to show various real-life situations that first responders may encounter in the field, such as downed trees coming into contact with power lines or lines draping across vehicles.
“Our goal is to educate these first responders on the dangers of electricity,” said Blake Lowry, a senior risk management analyst for Alabama Power and the event’s instructor. “We show them a live case scenario of 14,400-volts like we see in residential neighborhoods and commercial properties – with the intent to inform them of the dangers so that they can learn from it and share this information with others.”
Topics included substation fires, generator backfeed, step potential, consequences of pulling a meter at a house fire and downed power lines. After the roughly 45-minute presentation, Lowry and three linemen hosted a Q&A session with first responders.
Lowry noted that educating first responders about the potential danger of electricity is especially important, because first responders are often first on the scene at an accident.
“They’re the first on the scene nine times out of 10, unless we happen to ride by and see it,” Lowry said. “That means they need to understand the dangers and our evaluation process. That’s why the Safe-T-Zone program is essential to our team, to properly educate our community partners and ensure they’re aware of the potential dangers.”
Lowry said that car accidents and downed trees are two most common dangers linemen respond to in the field when assisting first responders. Vehicles can strike poles, transformers and other facilities, potentially causing dangerous conditions.
Trees are a concern, especially during or after storms. Lowry noted that just because a tree leaning on a line looks safe doesn’t mean that it is not energized and a hazard. He also said that safety around electricity and downed power lines does not solely rest on first responders’ shoulders, but also the general public.
“Stay away,” Lowry said. “Call Alabama Power, call 911 – treat every line like it is live and it is energized. Call us, let us come out there and evaluate it to ensure everyone stays safe.”
Municipalities that are interested in having Safe-T-Zone presented to local responders can contact Alabama Power’s Public Safety Awareness team at 800-806-SAFE (7233) or email: safety@alabamapower.com.
